


Near death experiences make the heart grow fonder

by TotallyNotAVampire



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Away Mission Gone Wrong, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Light Angst, M/M, accidental poisoning, worried Trip is worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27088777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyNotAVampire/pseuds/TotallyNotAVampire
Summary: It seemed easy. Go down there, socialize for a bit, and go home. Nope.(written for Trektober 2020, a mix of day 10- away mission and day 18- waiting by a biobed.)
Relationships: Malcolm Reed/Charles "Trip" Tucker III
Kudos: 14
Collections: Trektober 2020





	Near death experiences make the heart grow fonder

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting something I wrote, constructive criticism is welcomed.

The day started normally. Malcolm woke him up with a kiss before going to his own quarters. They were trying to avoid the crew’s attention (and failing miserably, but they didn’t know that yet). Now that there is a chance that he may never get such a kiss again, Trip is fantasying about it, the softness of Malcolm's lips, the warmth of his breath. 

After breakfast Captain Archer called Trip, Hoshi, and Malcolm to inform them that in an hour they will be leaving for the second visit to a planet they came across a few days ago. Apparently, the Lymians are a highly developed species that was famous for their beautiful paintings (or so the Vulcan database said). Everyone on board the ship was glad for a positive encounter with a new species but between the three eyes and the too-wide smile, no one was too happy to follow them onto the unknown planet.  
On the first visit only captain Archer was allowed to visit the planet. The tall Lymian King welcomed the human with a lavish feast, even if most of the foods were much too salty for his liking, he has managed to find himself a dish that wasn’t unlike pizza.

The second visit to the planet was to be during a festival for the local goddess of victory. A meeting of a new species was dangerous enough as it is but the sheer number of people who will be present kicked Malcolm into overdrive. The security officer refused to let anyone leave without proper accompaniment.  
Regardless of the risks, all 4 senior officers stepped onto the planet. A crowd of expecting Lymians was looking at the aliens. Trip noticed how Malcolm straightened his back, a nervous tic of his. Playing diplomat wasn’t the brit’s favorite past time but for the safety of his crew, he will bear it. Trip wished he could comfort his partner but he also wanted his head to stay on his shoulders.  
“Ah, welcome back captain Archer,” said a tall male (or maybe they were female, Trip wasn’t sure), his pale orange skin gleaming in the sun.  
“glad to be back” replied Jonathan with a smile.  
“And who might your companions be?” the king’s eye’s scanning the new arrivals stopping on Malcolm, the human seemingly shrinking under the scrutinizing gaze.  
“The lovely lady here is ensign Sato, this is the Enterprise’s chief engineer commander Tucker and lastly our security officer Lieutenant Reed” responded the captain.  
“Let us continue to the festivities!” The alien exclaimed and gestures to the large market-like area below them where the bustling crowd was enjoying all of the pleasures that the festival had to offer. 

The sun was setting, Trip was talking to two vaguely humanoid ambassadors about how beautiful their home planet was this time of year but he wasn’t listening. His eye caught Malcolm’s, the distress clear on his face. The way the king’s hand was resting on the brit’s shoulder was the cause of the discomfort. Trip sighed, aware of his own helplessness. The Lymians have valuable resources that Enterprise desperately needs after the last battle. He promised himself that he will talk to Mal about it later but for now, he is trapped in a boring conversation with an unfortunately non-alcoholic purple drink in his hand, completely powerless.

The day was agonizingly long. Finally, it was time to go back to the ship. Jonathan, Hoshi, and Trip were at the meetup point but apparently, Malcolm is missing from the palace. The humans quickly found a servant who informed them that the security officer has been seen walking with the king towards the private portion of the palace a quarter of a human hour ago. Trip was starting to be worried. He considered himself an optimist but the way Malcolm has been treated like a piece of meat by the king was concerning.

The servant lead them to the king’s private quarters. The dark wooden door opened to show a bed on which an unconscious Malcolm laid and a lilac chair upon which the king sat reading. Obviously, the room was rich with all the luxuries the country could afford but Trip could only focus on the barely breathing Malcolm in the middle of the room  
“What’s going on here?” bellowed Archer.  
“Captain, it is custom for the king to take a mate during these festivities,” snapped the alien, annoyed to be interrupted, “I followed the ritual perfectly. Were you not aware of this tradition?” Trip wanted to punch that smug smile off his face. The king’s eyes betrayed his true emotion: worry. “It seems that the mild sedative I gave him isn’t so mild when used on humans. He was supposed to wake up already”  
“We need our armory officer back.” Captain Archer remained firm.  
The king put down his book, looking almost mournful. “I will allow that but I’m afraid you must promise me one thing,” his voice quivered “make sure he wakes up.”  
-  
They have been back to Enterprise for a few hours, most of which Trip spent in an uncomfortable chair near a biobed. He can’t remember when he last ate but he presumed that it was before Phlox told him that the sedative wasn’t meant to be used on humans and that the doctor can’t do anything to make Malcolm wake up. Trip’s back is starting to cramp and his head is killing him but he will not move until he can have Malcolm back.  
His suffering is interrupted by Phlox, “Commander Tucker, please go back to your quarters and get some sleep.” How could he sleep when his love is on the verge of death?  
“Now listen here doctor-” Trip was interrupted before he could start his speech.  
“Commander!” exclaimed Phlox, “I am certain that lieutenant Reed would want the ship to have its engineer in a functioning state,” he stopped for a moment, “even if he is no longer alive.” Trip felt a tear roll down his cheek.  
-  
Trip spent three days in a trance, working for unhealthy amounts of time before collapsing. He could see the crew’s worried glances out of the corner of his eye. It made him angry. Why were they looking like that at him, pitying and all, when it was Malcolm who was laying on a slab in medbay.  
-  
It was around 2 am when Trip was awakened by his doorbell. He was out of bed before he was truly awake. He was sure that he was still dreaming when he opened the door, still in his old ratty sweatpants. Standing before him was Malcolm, tired and in a dirty uniform, but awake.  
“Mal!” Trip was sure that the hug he attacked the brit with was painful but as he heard no objections, they remained in that position for five minutes, maybe ten, it wasn’t important to Trip. What was important that he had his Malcolm back.

**Author's Note:**

> I am writing a reader insert fic with Malcolm so if that sounds interesting stick around


End file.
